Morning Invitations
by alyssialui
Summary: Hermione tags along with Ginny to an early morning Quidditch practice session against Puddlemere United. First Oliver/Hermione.


_A/N: Hermione tags along with Ginny to an early morning Quidditch practice session against Puddlemere United. First Oliver/Hermione. I guess this would definitely need to be continued, but please take this one for now. Prize for **Padfootsshoe** for winning my **Take a Lyric Competition:Round 3**_

_Submission for:_

_**Achieve that OUTSTANDING: **Poor - (location) Quidditch Pitch_

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): **Trick Or Treat - Homework_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

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><p>It was four in the morning, a bit too early if you asked Hermione. She looked up to the dark sky as she walked across the Quidditch Pitch. When Ginny had invited her along to her morning practice, she didn't know it would mean waking up before even the sun. She looked towards her friend who was talking to another teammate. It amazed her that Ginny, who had so much trouble waking up on a Saturday before noon, was so bright and chipper at four in the morning.<p>

Ahead, Hermione saw another group walking up to them, all men and wearing their own Quidditch uniforms. The girls soon met with the group and Ginny turned to Hermione and said, "The Harpies and Puddlemere United are having an exhibition match in two days. So we're doing a early morning practice session with them to get to know them a bit better. I thought you'd have a nice time ogling hot men as they flew through the sky."

Hermione blushed as her eyes scanned the gentlemen. They were all very attractive indeed, very manly and strong. Hermione could spot who she thought was their seeker, a tall, wiry man who was standing near the back and talking to two shorter, thicker men who could probably be the beaters based on Hermione's lacking Quidditch knowledge. Hermione's eyes moved over to the man on their right.

"Oliver?" Hermione asked. Oliver Wood played for Puddlemere United?

Ginny raised her eyebrow as the young man came over. "Yes, Oliver. He plays for the team. Didn't you know?" Ginny asked. She thought that Hermione would have at least heard when Oliver joined the team as the youngest keeper in half a century.

Before Hermione could say anything, the Scot came over to the girls and held out a hand. "Hello, Ms Weasley, Ms Granger," he said with a wide smile.

The two girls returned the greeting before Hermione asked, "How have things been since Hogwarts, Oliver?"

He laughed and said, "As well as they could be. When the dust cleared, I went back to my team and if you listen to the scores, things aren't going horribly."

Hermione laughed nervously, hoping her cluelessness wasn't too obvious. Ginny seemed to notice though. She quickly grabbed Oliver's arm and said, "Come along, Oliver. Practice is about to start. Hermione's staying to watch so we can all catch up afterwards."

Oliver nodded and then said to the brown-haired girl, "See you after practice, Hermione."

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><p>It had been an exciting game though Hermione knew it was just for practice. The determined Harpies held their own against strapping Puddlemere flyers, but unfortunately their seeker had caught the snitch before the Harpies', ending the practice game 250-140. After a few more drills and routines, the practice session had ended. The sun was now just a few feet above the horizon, bathing the scene in a warm, orange glow. Hermione walked down the stands and out into the pitch to see only Oliver waiting for her. He was sweaty, his chest rising and falling with every deep breath, but his smile was dazzling.<p>

"Where's Ginny?" she asked as she looked around. It seemed that all the other Quidditch players had vanished.

"The Harpies called a emergency team meeting it seems and the other Puddlemeres are in the showers," Oliver explained as he stepped closer to her.

Hermione looked at him and asked, "So why aren't you with them? You look very sweaty to me." She blushed afterwards, hoping he wouldn't take her noticing as anything more embarrassing. He had just played Quidditch for two hours. Of course he's sweaty.

He just replied, "I told them I had something to do first."

"What?" Hermione asked.

He took her hand and said, "I wanted to ask if you wanted to go to breakfast with me."

Hermione mouth opened then she said, "But what about Ginny? I-"

Oliver shook his head, "I already asked her if she minded. She looked over the moon about it actually, insisted I take you out."

Hermione blushed. That Ginny. Hermione wouldn't have been surprised if that was Ginny's intention bringing her to the practice in the first place. After her and Ron's parting of ways (Hermione refused to think of it as a breakup as everyone else was), Ginny had been trying to get her out and about.

Hermione looked into Oliver's handsome face. She had always thought he was handsome, as had the other girls in the Gryffindor Tower. But now she was seeing him up close.

His hair was cut low, the slight breeze in the hair blowing the tips around. His brown eyes crinkled at the corners with the edges of his smile. He was giving her such a genuine look full of possibility and things to come. And he was asking her, Hermione Granger, who still felt like the scared little First Year who worried about being behind on her homework at times, to breakfast.

"Yes, definitely," she said.

He grinned and then leaned in close. Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she wondered what he was about to do. Was he already going to kiss her? She couldn't say she would have minded.

But then he just placed a quick kiss on her forehead and said, "I'll be out in a few minutes," before heading to the locker room. Hermione waved back in a daze, trying to fight back the tiny disappointment that he hadn't just gone all the way.


End file.
